Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has said that he will be telephoning Fernando Alonso following the Spaniard’s retirement from the Japanese Grand Prix. As closest rival Sebastian Vettel won the race, the reigning double World Champion now sits just four points behind at the top of the championship table.
At Suzuka on Sunday, Alonso spun out of contention at the second corner following contact with Kimi Räikkönen which caused a puncture. The result bore a strong resemblance to the Belgian Grand Prix, when he also retired right after the start.
“It’s at times like these that I want to see the Ferrari I know: A team that is focused and that holds its nerve,” Montezemolo says on the Ferrari website. “I will speak to Fernando by phone soon to give him even more motivation with which to tackle these last five races, with the bit between his teeth, as indeed I expect all the team to do.
“We know we can count on the strongest driver around at the moment and it’s only mistakes from others at Spa and again at Suzuka that have prevented him from having a more comfortable lead over his rivals. Let’s not forget that, but for those two collisions, today Fernando would have had at least 30 points more and that’s a conservative estimate.
“In sport, as in life, the wheel turns and we must not forget that recently it has not done so in a positive way for us, but it does not take much for it to change direction.”
Montezemolo also took the opportunity to congratulate Felipe Massa on second position, which marked his first Formula 1 podium finish since Korea 2010.
Also on Monday:
Domenicali returns to Maranello for Ferrari regroup
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| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  S. Vettel | Red Bull | 1:28:56.242 |
| 2. | F. Massa | Ferrari | +20.639 |
| 3. | K. Kobayashi | Sauber | +24.538 |
| 4. | J. Button | McLaren | +25.098 |
| 5. | L. Hamilton | McLaren | +46.490 |
| 6. | K. Raikkonen | Lotus | +50.424 |
| 7. | N. Hulkenberg | Force India | +51.159 |
| 8. | P. Maldonado | Williams | +52.364 |
| 9. | M. Webber | Red Bull | +54.675 |
| 10. | D. Ricciardo | Toro Rosso | +1:06.919 |
| Full results | |||
| Fernando Alonso | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| More Fernando Alonso photos | |||
| Luca di Montezemolo | |||
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| More Luca di Montezemolo photos | |||
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